What is the water quality grade for Peters Lake?

Peters Lake in Howard County, Missouri received a water quality grade of D (Poor). Water clarity: 2.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 54 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 19.4 µg/L. Surface area: 107 acres.

Is Peters Lake safe to swim in?

Swimming not recommended, poor water quality with high algae risk. Peters Lake has an overall water quality grade of D. Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 19.4 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.

Howard County, Missouri

Peters Lake

Grade DPoor · 2.1 ft clarity

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Eutrophic

Peters Lake is a 107-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Howard County, Missouri. Water quality is graded D based on 3 sampling years through 2023. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 1 other monitored lakes in Howard County, Peters Lake ranks #1 for water quality.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Missouri DNR, last sampled 2023-08-15. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.

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Swimming Safety

Swimming not recommended, poor water quality with high algae risk

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Water Quality Grade: D, Poor

Very murky, less than 2.1 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 54 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 19.4 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 63.

Metric	Value	Grade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)	2.1 ft	F
Phosphorus	54 µg/L	C
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)	19.4 µg/L	C
Trophic State Index (TSI)	63	Eutrophic

High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity

Lake Details

Characteristic	Value
Surface Area	107 acres
Public Access	Yes

Where to stay near Peters Lake

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Fishing Peters Lake

→ Peters Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)

Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving

Based on 3 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).

Metric	Trend	Change/Year	Years
Water Clarity	↑ Improving	+0.165 m/yr	3
Phosphorus	↑ Improving	-11.55 µg/L/yr	3
Chlorophyll-a	↑ Improving	-8.15 µg/L/yr	3

Recreation & Access

Boat Landings

Yes

Public Access

Water Temperature

Peters Lake averages about 82°F at the surface in summer, usually warmest in Jul (about 83°F) and coldest in May (about 72°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.

Jan

—

Feb

—

Mar

—

Apr

—

May

72°

Jun

80°

Jul

83°

Aug

82°

Sep

—

Oct

—

Nov

—

Dec

—

Typical surface water temperature by month, from 16 field readings (2016–2023) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Peters Lake water temperature breakdown →

Location

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County Ranking

Ranked #1 of 2 lakes in Howard County

Cleaner Lakes Within 30 Miles

Peters Lake holds Grade D. 3 nearby lakes hold higher grades.

See full comparison →

Nearby Lakes in Howard County

Dc Rogers Lake Nr. Dam

Explore Peters Lake across LakeGrade

Lake Fishing Forecast

Species activity outlook by water temperature and season

Missouri Lake Trips

Where to stay at Missouri's top lakes, each with its grade

Eutrophic Lakes

High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity

The State of Missouri's Lakes

Missouri's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked

More Missouri Lake Rankings

Cleanest lakes in Missouri

Top 25 by overall water quality score

Clearest lakes in Missouri

Top 25 by Secchi water clarity

Best swimming lakes in Missouri

Grade A/B + low algae filter

Family fishing lakes in Missouri

Panfish-rich, public access

All Missouri lakes

Full state directory

Other Grade D Lakes in Missouri

Cedar Lake

Randolph County · Clarity: 2.7 ft

Sugar Creek Lake

Randolph County · Clarity: 2.5 ft

Thomas Hill Res. Nr. Dam Lake

Randolph County · Clarity: 2.3 ft

Sugar Creek Lake

Randolph County · Clarity: 2.5 ft

Sugar Creek Lake North Arm

Randolph County · Clarity: 1.6 ft

Stephens Lake

Boone County · Clarity: 2.6 ft

Eutrophic Lakes in Missouri

Old Reservoir Rothwell Lake Cedar Lake Sugar Creek Lake

More records, surveys & data sources

Reservoir Info (USACE NID)

Peters Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Fayette New City Lake Dam (completed 1961), built primarily for recreation on the TR-ADAMS FORK; earth-type dam, 33 ft tall.

Surface area: 107 ac
Normal storage: 1,059 ac-ft
Max storage: 1,889 ac-ft
Drainage area: 895 sq mi
Hazard class: High
Owner: CITY OF FAYETTE

All listed purposes: Recreation;Water Supply.

Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MO10130 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.1 km)

Lake Size & Watershed

Watershed (drainage) area

3 sq mi

Mean depth (est.)

14.1 ft

Shoreline

1.8 mi

Elevation

748 ft

Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth is a modeled estimate.

Data Sources

Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal

Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)

Grading methodology based on Metropolitan Council standards

Public boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory

Most recent sample: 2023-08-15

Monitoring stations: 1

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